How One Man Lost His Cravings For Junk Food

Do you struggle with food cravings or overeating? This man’s story sheds some insight into how blocked or unprocessed emotions can contribute to a cycle of food cravings and negative feelings. We often block, repress or push down painful or difficult emotions that we don’t want to feel, but are a part of us. When we push down or avoid these “difficult” feelings, they have a way of popping up in another way to get our attention. Unprocessed emotions linger and can trigger us to become reactive or craving without knowing exactly why.

The antidote is to make room for all of your emotions, difficult, positive or otherwise. By simply allowing space for those emotions and acknowledging their presence, you begin a process of allowing emotions to come and go without getting stuck inside. Here are a few simple steps to follow when you notice yourself being hooked by an emotion:

1. Notice it: Notice what you are feeling. What sensations are present in your body? Where is the emotion located in your body? What urge or action do you feel like taking (i.e, curling up in a ball, running away, etc). What thoughts are popping up in your mind?

2. Name it: Name the emotion in a manner that is non-judgmental. Don’t worry about having the accurate feeling word. Describe it in your own words.

3. Identify what is Needed: What do you need? What action needs to be taken? Sometimes no action is necessary, simply acknowledgement is enough – “this is hard.” Sometimes, there is something we do need such as connection, comfort or soothing, to set boundaries, etc. Is there a way you can meet that need?

Here’s a link to the article to read more about his experience with letting go of food cravings:  How I Lost All Cravings for Junk Food